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NHL draft: Seth Jones’ road to the top

How the son of an NBA player developed into one of the top junior prospects in hockey.

Portland Winterhawks defenceman Seth Jones moves the puck against the Halifax Mooseheads during the first period of Memorial Cup action in Saskatoon, Sask., on Saturday, May 18, 2013. (Liam Richards / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

By Michael GrantUSA Today

Thu., June 20, 2013

Given his pedigree, location and ethnicity, Seth Jones is a unique prodigy.

Ronald “Popeye” Jones, the former Murray State University and NBA power forward, knew his son was special. He received additional affirmation three years ago. It was summertime in his home state of Texas, and Seth Jones was playing pickup hockey with a few members of the Dallas Stars.

“All of the guys on the team couldn’t believe he was 15 with the things he was doing on the ice,” Popeye Jones recalled.

Believe it. Seth Jones, 18, is poised to become the next big thing in professional hockey. NHL.com draft experts Adam Kimelman, Mike Morreale and Steven Hoffner all project that the 6-foot-4, 205-pound defenceman will be the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft on June 30, which would make him the first African American with that distinction. (But Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sacic has publicly said his team would not pick Jones at the No. 1 slot)

Colorado owns the top pick and to play for the Avalanche would have brought Jones’ journey full circle.

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The first time he put on skates was at a rink 160 km from Denver when he was five years old on New Year’s Eve 1999. He was at Game 7 when the Avalanche won the 2001 Stanley Cup. Now he could emerge as one of the sport’s next stars.

So why hockey and not basketball? Popeye Jones was a two-time Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year for Murray State, where he still holds the career record for rebounding (1,374). He almost led the 16th-seeded Racers to an upset of Michigan State before losing 75-71 in overtime in the 1990 NCAA Tournament.

The 6-8 Jones went on to be an 11-year NBA journeyman for seven teams, including the Raptors, averaging 7.0 points and 7.4 rebounds. One of his stops was Denver, where hockey suddenly became a big deal in the family.

“It all started with his brother Justin, who is three years older,” said Popeye Jones, now an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets. “When we moved to Denver, Justin asked to play, and like any other little brother, you want to do what your big brother is doing. Seth is a little guy tagging along. He wanted hockey stuff. He wanted skates. He wanted to skate with the rest of the kids. It just took off. It seemed like he never wanted to play any other sports.”

Seth Jones played basketball for fun but never organized basketball. The only other sports he tried — briefly — were soccer and lacrosse. Hockey was his passion, and by the time he was 10 he was playing with 12-year-olds because of his ability.

While Popeye was with the Denver Nuggets, he sought advice from Avalanche centre Joe Sakic, who is now the team’s executive vice president of hockey operations.

“I told him my kids wanted to play hockey,” Jones recalled. “He said, ‘From the looks of you, your kids are going to be huge. You better make sure they know how to skate.’ ”

Seth Jones helped the United States win the 2011 and 2012 World U18 Championship and the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Instead of going to college, he played for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League this past season. He was named Rookie of the Year after amassing 56 points (14 goals, 42 assists) and solidifying his status as the best prospect in North America.

It’s not uncommon for athletes to produce offspring who star in a different sport. Chicago Bulls forward Joakim Noah is the son of tennis great Yannick Noah. University of Arizona wide receiver Ken “Trey” Griffey III has a famous father and grandfather who excelled in baseball.

But to be the top pick in the NHL draft would be breaking new ground in at least one way.

“I understand there will be a barrier that he’ll be breaking,” Popeye Jones said. “There is a responsibility to hopefully get more African-American kids involved in the sport. I think he understands that responsibility.

“But I’m proud that he’s my son. I know how much work he’s put into it.”

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